Pick your classic Italian Grand Prix

After the embarrassment of riches in the Belgian edition of our classic grands prix series, the selection for Italy follows in the same vein.

Monza has a grand prix history stretching back to 1922, so it is hardly surprising that there have been some cracking races at the atmospheric old autodrome in the city's Royal Park. But even allowing for the unfortunate gaps in the BBC archive, we have some tasty morsels for you to enjoy.

Those gaps mean, sadly, that we will not be able to show you highlights of the famous 1971 Italian Grand Prix, which saw the closest finish in Formula 1 history. For those desperate to watch this, though, I'm pretty sure that is available on a popular video sharing website near you.

Instead, we have chosen five races from more recent history - 1988, 1990, 1995, 1999 and 2004.

The first of those, the 1988 Italian GP, is famous for two reasons - it was the event that spoilt McLaren's clean sweep of all that year's races, and it was a Ferrari one-two at home only a month after the death of the team's legendary founder Enzo Ferrari.

Between them, Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost won 15 of the 16 races in 1988, sweeping all before them in the brilliant McLaren-Honda MP4/4. Monza was the one that got away.

As usual, the two men had battled for much of the race and, as was more common than is generally realised, winning was harder for McLaren than they made it look. This time, for once, things unravelled.

Both men knew their fuel consumption was marginal - this was the final year of turbocharged engines in F1, and the teams that used them, such as McLaren, were restricted to only 150 litres of fuel for a race.

Still, they went at it hammer and tongs, though. But before long Prost, lying in second place behind his team-mate, knew that he was not going to finish the race - he could feel his engine tightening. Despite this, he continued to keep up the pressure on Senna.

The rumour has long been that he did this knowing he would retire, in the hope that Senna would run out of fuel, or at least not be able to win. The two men were in a tight battle for the championship, so if Prost was going to retire, the last thing he needed was for Senna to win.

If that was the plan, Prost has never come clean about it - not even in the interview he gave Mail on Sunday journalist Malcolm Folley for his excellent new book Prost versus Senna.

By accident or design, though, that is exactly what happened. When Prost retired with engine failure on lap 35 - with less than 20 to go - Senna found himself leading from the two Ferraris, with Gerhard Berger ahead of Michele Alboreto.

By now, though, Senna was in serious trouble with his fuel consumption, and the Ferraris - which were nowhere near as quick as the McLaren when it came to out-and-out pace - began to close in.

With two laps remaining, Berger was no more than two seconds behind Senna, who was coming up to lap the Williams of Jean-Louis Schlesser, deputising in his only F1 drive for the ill Nigel Mansell.

Senna knew he could not afford to waste either the time he would lose waiting until after the corner, or the fuel he would use up by doing so. So heading into the first chicane, he dived for the inside from quite a long way back. A more experienced driver, used to making way for Senna's sometimes banzai lapping manoeuvres, might have noticed him coming. But the Frenchman did not, and the two cars collided.

Senna was out - and with him went McLaren's 100% record. In the pits, team boss Ron Dennis gave a rueful smile. In the grandstands and on the makeshift scaffolding that pops up around Monza on race day, more than 100,000 tifosi went wild.

Two years later, Senna and Prost again battled out the race win, this time with the Frenchman in a Ferrari following the total breakdown of their relationship as team-mates at McLaren in 1989.

But the 1990 Italian Grand Prix is remembered instead for a monumental accident involving Derek Warwick's Lotus on the first lap.

The Englishman ran wide coming out of the fast and tricky Parabolica corner and he slammed into the barriers on the outside of the track. The car overturned, and slid down the middle of the circuit, coming to rest at the entry to the main straight.

It looked horrendous - in those days of low-sided cockpits, Warwick's helmet scraped along the ground - but he climbed out and, after a little unsteadiness, ran back to the pits to take the restart in the spare car. Cue more wild cheers from the tifosi, who applauded Warwick all the way back to his garage.

The 1995 race featured one of a series of incidents that year between title contenders Michael Schumacher and Damon Hill.

Two weeks after Hill had been unhappy about, and humiliated by, Schumacher's brilliant drive in the wet at Spa, the feature race in the last edition of our classic races series, the two men were again disputing the lead halfway through the race at Monza.

Approaching the second chicane, they were coming up to lap backmarker Taki Inoue's Footwork. Hill's Williams cannoned into the back of the Benetton, and took them both out of the race. Schumacher, incensed, leapt from his beached car in the gravel trap and ran over to Hill to remonstrate with him, but was pulled away by marshals.

On the track, though, the drama was far from over. The collision left the Ferraris running one-two with Jean Alesi leading Berger. Alesi, who had taken his first career victory earlier that season in Canada, looked all set for what would have been a highly emotional win, but it was not to be.

First, a camera fell off his car and smashed Berger's suspension, taking him out of the race. Then, with seven laps to go, Alesi suffered a rear wheel-bearing failure and he, too, had to retire, handing a second victory of the season instead to Schumacher's team-mate Johnny Herbert.

Four years later, Monza was again host to incredible scenes. Northern Irishman Eddie Irvine had taken over as Ferrari's talisman in the title fight with McLaren's Mika Hakkinen after Schumacher broke his leg in a crash at the British Grand Prix.

Irvine should not really have had a chance - he was far slower than Hakkinen - but a combination of errors and failures at McLaren and kept the championship open. The Finn had a great chance to extend his lead at Monza, where he was leading - albeit under some pressure from the Jordan of Heinz-Harald Frentzen - with Irvine off the pace and struggling.

But then, when he seemed to be counting down the laps to a win that would have put him in a very strong position in the championship with just three races to go, Hakkinen made a mistake and spun into retirement at the first chicane.

He climbed out of the car and threw his gloves down in frustration. Then, walking back to the pits, when he thought he was out of sight of the TV cameras, he sat down and had a little cry.

Our final selection is the 2004 race. It was the eighth Ferrari one-two in a season when the Italian team's Schumacher-era domination was at its height, but this one was different.

Not only was it Rubens Barrichello who was the first red car across the line, but the two men had to fight through the field from the back in the wet after early delays - Barrichello for choosing the wrong tyres and Schumacher from spinning on the first lap. The result may have served only to emphasise the car's superiority, but it was fun watching it.

So there you have it - five great races to choose from. As ever, we would like you to tell us which one is your favourite, and also if there are any great Italian Grands Prix we have omitted from our list. We will use your responses to inform our decision about which race to highlight on the BBC Sport website - and if that event is from the years for which the BBC owned the F1 rights (ie, before 1997) we will show the full 'Grand Prix' highlights programme of the time, as well as the short highlights of all the races.

Comment number 11.

Hi Andrew, does the BBC have footage of the 1969 Italian Grand Prix? There is a clip on the internet of the last 30 seconds of the race with Murray Walker commentating, which was taken from a BBC programme broadcast in the 90's called "F1 - The First 500 Grand Prix", does any more footage of this race exist?

Comment number 13.

1988 please. Gerhard Berger was my hero when I was growing up,so this race was the best win of his career in my opinion! Plus, just one month after the death of Enzo Ferrari, and Ferrari finish 1-2, in of all places, Monza! An emotional crowd is to put it very mildly indeed.

Comment number 19.

I loved the drama of 1999 as i wanted Irvine to win the Championship that year, however, we'll get to see that anyway and its not the best GP.

My first place vote goes for 1998 for the 1-2 for Ferrari and the atmosphere.

My second vote would be for 1995. Watching some of the classic GP's this year on this feature has reminded me how good F1 was when Schey and Hill were at each others throats every other weekend.

Future suggestions? I enjoyed 1998 at Monza. With McLaren having a massive car advantage that year (lapping up to 3rd place in Melbourne) there was only one man who could catch them and make the Championship interesting - Schumacher. After blowing another golden opportunity to close in on the Championship at Spa, he came from 5th on the first lap at Monza to win after Coultards blown engine allowed him to take a run on Hakkinen into Lesmo 1. I remember this one mainly for Murray going ballistic and tripping over his words with excitement when Schumacher passed Hakkinen and also when Hakkinens brakes blew up and he spun off after mounting a charge and closing in on Schumacher - both of them on the ragged edge trading lap times. Its the ITV era so a 7 minute clip would do me.

Keep up the good work Andrew. I and many others love this feature and appreciate the time you put into it. I'm sure there are many who also watch on freeview who do not comment on this site.

Comment number 21.

Comment number 22.

Monza isn't dissimilar to Monaco: loads of history but the races are often deathly dull; interestingly I don't think a single one of the races you've selected - with the exception of 2004 - had an overtaking maneuver worth mentioning except the one that ended in a crash.

To that end then, I think they tend to err towards which have the moment of highest drama. 1988 should be first then, (though the race itself up to that point was stultifyingly boring if memory serves), then 1995 then 2004, (to buck the trend by having some overtaking).

And if I could nominate any others: '87 was pretty dramatic with Senna's non-stop Lotus being gradually hunted down by Piquet's Williams or 2001 which wasn't a great race but was incredibly memorable, not just for Montoya's first (well deserved) victory but the incredibly odd sight of 26 cars carrying no sponsorship decals and black noses/sidepods thanks to the terrorist attacks in New York which happened only the Tuesday before. The most surreal atmosphere of any sporting event - GP or otherwise - I've ever attended.

Comment number 28.

1988, hands-down. Surely there has never been and will never be a driver that gains such fame (infamy?!) with such a short F1 career?!!?

I was 15 and at the height of my own Mansellmania ;o) but I was also a blooming Berger fan... I wasn't aware of the fuel issues either, I've always assumed it was due to both Shlesser's inexperience and unfamiliarity with Senna's (at times) uncompromising approach to lapping lesser drivers...!

Still, the enormity of breaking, if only for one race, McLaren's stranglehold on the top step of the podium, and of the first Ferrari win and 1-2 in what seemed like forever... *and* at Monza!!!

If you didn't become a member of the tifosi for even that one day, you weren't alive LOL!

Comment number 29.

my vote will go to 1988 but my 2nd choice is 1990, i love that part of f1 history.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GctVJQzbRBo&fmt=18 = 1971 GP for those who want to c it. Nice BRM win it is a shame that the factory now a auction house and the only bit of memorial for them is a 1 level in a mill that's only open one day a week

Comment number 30.

According to Christopher Hilton's Senna biography Prost's engine was misfiring but sensing he had nothing to lose he still wanted to keep the pressure on Senna and by doing so he turned the wick up on the boost.

Senna seeming to struggle to pull away from Prost and then from the Ferraris wanted to make up the difference at the chicanes which is why he tangled with Schlesser.

One Italian GP I'm be interested in seeing is 1979. Halfway into that season Ferrari made Jody Sheckter and Gilles Villeneuve #1&#2 drivers respecitively even though Gilles still had a chance at winning the title.

Scheckter famously said he kept checking his mirrors at the final laps, wondering whether Gilles Villeneuve was ever the gentleman that was claimed at the time.

A complete contrast to today. This was when team orders were wholly acceptable and the system wasn't abused by a certain German driver and the win-at-all-cost mentality was just a couple of years away.

Comment number 33.

I have to say 2004...Only because I was there, and I didn't start following Formula 1 closely until 2000..When Formula 1 came back to the United States and a newtork (speedtv) started devoting air time to F1. It was an exciting race, and when I tell F1 fans in the US that I've been to Monza, you can see the shades of green envy come over them!

Comment number 35.

Comment number 36.

2008 I thought was a special race, but it was more in terms of what actually happened than pure entertainment I thought. That race and last weekends Belgian GP have had two of the biggest feel good stories in F1 and it's good to know that small teams, with the right sets of circumstances, a handy driver and a bit of luck, can have a real go at winning these races.

I'd vote for 1988 though, another of those great weekends, where actually sometimes the result is more important than what actually happened during the race.

Comment number 39.

Comment number 40.

1988 without a doubt. Not for McLaren's failure, but for the emotional Ferrari win so soon after Enzo's death. It was ment to be.

There should also be a worthy mention for Juan Pablo Montoya's first Grand Prix win at Monza in 2001. I was there, sucking in the history of the Autodrome, hearing the cackle of engines through the trees of the great park. You just cant beat a Grand Prix at Monza. To all those luck enough to be going this year - enjoy!

Comment number 43.

I'm surprised 98 isn't in this list. I had't started watching Formula 1 then but I know it was a pretty big race.

Of the five options I've only seen 99 and 04. The latter of the two was a good race but pretty irrelevant in the grand scheme of things. The 1999 race was a very important race in the championship, with Mika crashing out and then becoming the only Finn to ever show any emotion.

It would have been cool if Kimi had cried after crashing out of last year's Belgian GP.

Comment number 50.

I'm surprised 1996 isn't on the list when Michael Schumacher won for Ferrari as well as Damon Hill retiring after hitting the tyres at the first chicane (Several others hit the tyres as well but Schumacher got away with it) but my first choice will have to be 1988 and my second 1995.

Also, would there be any chance of showing the '76 Japanese Grand Prix for the Japan Classic Races (If not will it be shown for the Title Decider Classics before the Abu Dhabi race?).

Comment number 52.

I WAS going to vote for 1990 because it would be one that I havn't seen much of apart from Warwick's huge accident. However, virtually nobody else has voted for it so it would probably be a wasted vote.

1988 or 1995? I'll flick a coin...

1995 it is then

I never vote for the ITV races but i'd admit 1998 was pretty good too. As for 2004, I think it was a 'classic' in the sense that it stood out as the majority of the season was pretty dire - and even the end result just proved how utterly dominant Ferrari were.

[By the way, it's interesting to note that for a lot of the classic GPs this year, the same seasons keep popping up (1982, 1986, 1995 to name a few) anybody else notice this?]

Comment number 53.

Mansell had chickenpox (or something like that) so he missed Spa and Monza that year. Brundle deputised for him at Spa but i think there was some problem with Jaguar World Sportscar team he was driving for at the time which meant the drive went to Schlesser for Monza

Comment number 55.

Comment number 56.

I was reading your suggestions and all the posts. Was so interesting. Got my thoughts and memories, was planning to post comment later these days.

Just reached a comment from # 49. About Fisi for Ferrari – confirmed…

Then almost immediately read the title of the article on BBC’s already updated : ) front page.

Guys, please, let me assimilate this info. Bit mixed feelings… Monza, Ferrari, tifosi and I was hoping somebody else too : (. (Fisi is not bad, but it’s not gona be the same. Not that special. Not the best…And I was still (!!) hoping for the best! )

Taking a quick break now, will come back to this good blog other time.

Comment number 61.

For me, a 60 year old man who's being following F1 for over 40 years, it has to be 1967. That drive by Jimmy Clark when he was leading, went into the pits because of a rear puncture then came out at the back of the field but a lap down, passed the whole field not once but twice to lead the race again and then to run out of fuel on the last lap was just incredible. Ok he had the best car in the Lotus 49 but you have to have the talent to use the best equipment to it's full potential. I knew Clark was one of the best but that day made him, for me, the best racing driver ever. Even though he didn't win the race Clark was the one the tifosi lifted high. My second choice would be 1971 for the close finish and after that 1988 for the Ferrari one two

Comment number 70.

i think Kimi's drive in 2005 deserves a mention. On pole with 5 laps of fuel more than his teammate and charging down the field from 11th only to be let down by the tyre failure after his pitstop. still finished on 4th.

Comment number 71.

For me, I'd love to see 1988 (even though I wasn't born then!), as the Senna - Prost battles are truly famous in F1. That said, I wouldn't complain about seeing 1990 for the Derick Warwick crash (as I think all F1 fans love a good crash (espicially if it's the massive crash from the 1998 Belgian grand prix)).

Comment number 76.

My choice for full highlights is obvious - 1988. It was the perfect tribute the scuderia could give to old man Ferrari, normally a Ferrari victory in Italy is special, but this was EXTRA special - a Ferrari 1-2 and spoiling McLarens perfect record of wins in the mighty MP4/4. For short highlights I'd like to see 1989 (I'll always vote for a race involving a battle between some of the greats like Senna and Prost). Also 1999 gets my vote, if only for Brundles' analysis of Hakkinens crash - "Oh look, he's crying his eyes out!"

Comment number 77.

Wait... 1990? Warwick's accident apart, that race was a non-eventful stalemate between Senna & Prost1991 was a much better race, with the Williamses hounding Senna's McLaren.Heck, even '92 & '93 were better races, than 1990.

Comment number 81.

Mmm, i knew Monza would be very hard to choose. 1995 was a great race without a doubt, but i'd rather another year got the full highlights instead of 1995 having them again. So my vote goes to 1988 for full highlights please. Plus i don't think 1988 has had any showings this year since you guys started this idea of showing classic F1 on the red button. So it'll be pretty cool to see one of Ferrari's most memorable wins ever.

Also pleased that 2004 is gonna get shown cause this was one of the better races from that year, cause Ferrari totally dominated 2004 and there were many races that were really dull. But for once both M Schumacher and Barrichello had to work their way through the pack to pick up an awesome 1-2 finish. Also remember Jenson Button having another cracking race in his B.A.R Honda coming in a well driven 3rd.

Comment number 84.

Dear BBC Moderators - I know this post is completely off topic but I cannot find anywhere else to comment about it! I'm amazed at the BBC coverage on their F1 Website of Fisichella's move to Ferrari. A couple of days ago you published a story saying that Fisi was definitely not going to Ferrari and that Stefano Domenicali would confirm what their plan going forward in 3 days (which took us up to yesterday I believe). Now Ferrari have done a complete about turn, and the earlier news report seems to have disappeared from the BBC website. Surely the site should be apologising for their misleading information in the earlier articles and possibly challenging why Ferrari/Force India were fibbing about the situation in the first place!? Is this not something the "Mole" should have discovered earlier?

Comment number 88.

A chance to see an emotional win for Ferrari on home ground after Enzo's death and the only race not won by McLaren that year. Also an opportunity to see Ron Dennis' face again. That alone makes Jean-Louis Schlesser one of Frank Williams' best signings.

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